A minor Dalit girl from Uttar Pradesh was allegedly taken from her village in Prayagraj to Kerala, where she was forcibly converted to Islam and pressured to train for Jihad. The case came to light after a woman, Guddi Devi, filed a complaint on June 28, saying her daughter was taken from her village by a local woman named Kahkashan, also referred to as Darkasha Bano, who offered her money and promised better prospects.
The Prayagraj police suspect the involvement of an organised network targeting poor and Dalit girls, and are coordinating with Kerala Police to investigate further.
According to the police, the minor girl went missing on the night of May 8 after attending the wedding of a local ration dealer in her native village, Lilhat. She was last seen around 10 pm. At the event, 19-year-old Bano, also a resident of the same village, allegedly lured the girl by offering money and speaking to her about the virtues of Islam.
Bano then called Mohammad Kaif, a resident of Phulpur, who arrived on a motorcycle and took both Bano and the girl to Prayagraj Railway Junction. Kuldeep Singh Gunawat, DCP Ganga Nagar, said, “During this, the victim was also molested in the Kaif.”
From Prayagraj, Bano and the minor travelled to Delhi and then to Thrissur in Kerala by train. During the journey, Bano was reportedly in frequent contact with a man named Taj Mohammad, informing him that she was on her way and had a girl with her.
According to the girl’s statement, upon reaching Thrissur, she was taken to a house where several other minor girls and men with long beards were present. She said they pressured her to convert to Islam and discussed training for Jihad. The girl became frightened and managed to escape to Thrissur railway station, where local police found her and informed her family. She was placed under the care of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) in Kerala.
Her family, with assistance from the Phulpur Police, brought her back to Prayagraj. She has been admitted to the One Stop Centre in the district. A case was registered on June 28 after her mother, Guddi Devi, filed a formal complaint. “A receipt for action was given at Phulpur police station, on which a case was registered under relevant sections,” said DCP Gunawat.
In the same complaint, Guddi Devi reported that Bano had threatened her. “On June 28, a complaint was lodged at the Police Station Phulpur by Guddi Devi, resident of Lilhat village, in which she informed that on May 8, 19-year-old Bano, daughter of Mohammad Ismail, also a resident of Lilhat, called from an unknown number and threatened to kill her,” the DCP said.
Following the complaint, police visited the victim’s home, questioned her, and deployed security personnel at the residence. Both Bano and Kaif have been arrested in the case.
DCP Gunawat stated that Bano appears to be connected to a Kerala-based module involved in converting minor girls through inducement and coercion and then training them for Jihad. “From the above mentioned report, it is known that the accused Bano is a part of an organised gang also involved in terrorist and anti-national activities by luring poor and Dalit girls, brainwashing them and forcing them to convert their religion,” he said.
“Taj Mohammad,” who Bano contacted multiple times during the journey, is on the radar of Prayagraj Police. He is believed to be based in Thrissur, and Kerala Police have begun a search for him. Prayagraj Police have shared preliminary findings with their counterparts in Kerala.
Gunawat confirmed that three police teams have been formed to investigate the activities of Bano and others linked to the case. “A thorough investigation is being conducted into the activities of Darkasha Bano. Strict action will be taken against others found involved. They will investigate this matter thoroughly,” he said.
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